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Tripoli, 1 March 2013:
Lawyers for Justice in Libya has praised prime . . .[restrict]minister Ali Zeidan for his speech at the UN Human Rights Conucil this week, in which he said it was time to focus on reestablishing the rule of law and human rights in Libya and that the government was working to achieve the objectives of those who lost their lives in the revolution.
“The changing government tone is a promising sign, “said LFJL Director Elham Saudi. “Human rights have been placed near the bottom of the government’s agenda during the transition. In order to make an impact and bring human rights to the forefront, the government must turn this positive rhetoric into effective action.
She continued: “We look forward to engaging with the Libyan government to improve the human rights situation in Libya and encourage the Libyan government to cooperate with civil society in overcoming these challenges.”
LFJL said that it will be attending the Human Rights Council itself to advocate for more transparency over the human rights situation in Libya. It is also joining a call for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to montor and report on human rights violations in Libya.
“Monitoring and reporting human rights violations to the Libyan people and the international community” said Saudi, “are steps the Libyan government can take to demonstrate that its commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights is real, and not only found in speeches. Such steps will not only ensure transparency but will encourage accountability and demonstrate a concrete step towards ending the culture of impunity.”
LFJL is joining with the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) to hold a side event on Libya during the HRC Session on 8 March. The event entitled “The Long Road Ahead – The Struggle for Human Rights and Democracy in Libya” will, said Saudi, discuss the human rights violations of the past and the challenges Libya faces ahead as the country begins the constitution-making process. [/restrict]
